MILITARY: Widow Pension; Adaline Mccombs; Jefferson co., NY submitted by Shelley Morrison (sam2813 @ aol.com) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/nyfiles.htm Submitted Date: January 22,2004 This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/nyfiles/ File size: 8.3 Kb ************************************************ PENSION CLAIM ADALINE MCCOMBS (NEE COMINS) (comins/auberten) CIVIL WAR PENSION NUMBER: 940745 HUSBAND: JOHN FREDRICK MCCOMBS CIVIL WAR 1862-1865 CO. M 10th NYHA SUMMARY OF CLAIM: 1889- 1ST Application dated 18 Dec. 1889. Hires attorney James Dolan to act as her agent. He submits the following affidavits: WITNESS TESTIMONY REGARDING THE MARRIAGE OF JOHN MCCOMBS TO ADALINE COMINS. WITNESS TESTIMONY REGARDING THE BIRTH OF THE CHILDREN OF JOHN & ADALINE MCCOMBS: LETTIE, CHARLES AND JOHN MCCOMBS WITNESS TESTIMONY REGARDING THE MARRIAGE OF ADALINE MCCOMBS TO AUGUSTUS AUBERTEN. APR. 10, 1890- Above received at the Bureau of Pensions (BOP) SEPT. 16, 1891- Augustus Auberten dies. (Adaline Comins 2nd husband) FEB. 18, 1891- Medical evidence received at the BOP in regards to the death of John McCombs from attending physician. APRIL 3, 1891- BOP receives from the War Department medical records of John McCombs for service years 1862-1865 1891- Claim is abandoned. (Possibly because Augustus Auberten was still living when she first filed her claim. Adaline & Augustus were separated for about 2 years before his death) OCT. 1908- Hires attorney Louis B. Dewey to complete claim. Her former attorney had died. NOV. 1908- Letter from BOP to attorney Dewey. BOP needs more evidence before pursuing claim. FEB. 9, 1920- Letter from Adaline Auberten to BOP. Notifies BOP of the death of her 2nd husband and that her attorney has died (Her 2nd attorney). Wants to pursue her claim. MAR. 28, 1920- Letter from BOP to Adaline Auberten. BOP sends a new form to be filled out and returned. (Why didn't they just look in their old file?) APR. 12, 1920- Declaration for Remarried Widow's Pension received at BOP. MAY 5, 1920- Letter to Adaline Auberten. BOP requests affidavits of more evidence. MAY 6, 1920- Letter to the War Department. BOP requests personal description of soldier. MAY 11, 1920- From the Treasury Department to BOP. Copy of application for additional bounty made by John F. McCombs dated 14 Dec. 1866. Additional bounty request was for $100.. MAY 21, 1920- Status of claim requested from the BOP by The Honorable L. W. Mott, House of Representatives, Committee of Ways and Means. JUNE 7, 1920- Letter. Reply to Mr. Mott from BOP. BOP requires more evidence. OCT. 5, 1920- Declaration of Widow's Pension claim refiled by Adaline Auberten with testimony notarized from Adaline Auberten, Maria Comins & James H. Comins DEC. 18, 1920- Letter from BOP (Widows Division) in reply to new claim submitted. BOP requests more evidence. DEC. 28, 1920- Letter from Mr. Mott to BOP requests status of claim. JAN. 4, 1921- Letter from BOP to Mr. Mott. Need more evidence. JAN. 12, 1921- Letter from Adaline Auberten to BOP stating evidence sent Sept. 1920 to BOP. FEB. 2, 1921-Letter from Mr. Mott to BOP requests status of claim. FEB. 8, 1921- Letter from BOP. No change in status since Jan. 4, 1921. AUG. 20, 1921- Letter from Mr. Mott to BOP requests status of claim. SEPT. 21, 1921- Letter from BOP to Mr. Mott. No change in status since Jan. 4, 1921 OCT. 31-, 1921- Letter from BOP to Mr. O'Horo of Carthage, NY. No change in status since Jan. 4, 1921. Need more evidence. NOV. 11, 1922- Notary E. Walton Comins wrote affidavits for the following and received by the BOP on Nov. 20, 1922: TESTIMONY BY ADALINE AUBERTEN DATED OCT. 31, 1922 TESTIMONY BY JAMES H. COMINS DATED NOV. 4, 1922 TESTIMONY BY MARIE COMINS DATED NOV. 4, 1922 ALSO INCLUDED IN PACKET WAS A LETTER FROM MR. MOTT DATED NOV. 17, 1922 ENCLOSING THE ABOVE EVIDENCE. NOV. 27, 1922- Letter from BOP to Mr. Mott. New evidence being considered. DEC. 11, 1922- Claim referred to The Chief of the Board of Review. Suggests special examination. Also sent to the BOP, a list of officers and comrades, names & addresses, of Company M 10th NYHA. JAN. 13, 1923- Affidavits received at the BOP: TESTIMONY OF ELI COOL WHO REMEMBERS JOHN MCCOMBS. ALSO INCLUDED, 2 OTHER LETTERS FROM ELI COOL ONE DATED JAN. 23, 1923 TESTIMONY FROM JAMES HERRICK WHO DOES NOT REMEMBER JOHN MCCOMBS TESTIMONY FROM HENRY H. MILLER WHO REMEMBERS JOHN MCCOMBS. TESTIMONY FROM PASKEL TEBO WHO DOES NOT REMEMBER JOHN MCCOMBS TESTIMONY FROM BIRNEY VINCENT WHO REMEMBERS JOHN MCCOMBS. TESTIMONY FROM ALONZO E. WHEELER WHO REMEMBERS JOHN MCCOMBS. MAY 11, 1923- Letter from Mr. Mott to BOP. Seeks to know if special examiner assigned to claim has rendered a report. If not, can the investigation be hastened.. MAY 16, 1923- Letter from BOP to Division Chief to the Special Examiner. Seeks status of report from Special Examiner due to urgent inquiry by Mr. Mott. MAY 19, 1923- Response from Special Examiner. Will take up case soon. (Within one month.) JUNE 19, 1923- Notice of Special Examination at Natural Bridge, Jefferson County, NY. Adaline Auberten to appear & testify and can be present during cross examination of witnesses on her behalf. AFFIDAVIT OF ADALINE AUBERTEN TESTIMONY AFFIDAVIT OF ELLICE I. DULEY TESTIMONY AFFIDAVIT OF LETTIE S. YOUNG TESTIMONY AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN H. MCCOMBS TESTIMONY LETTER SUBMITTED FROM BYRON G. PERSONS. HE DID AND HE DID NOT REMEMBER JOHN MCCOMBS. LETTER SUBMITTED FROM JOHN M. WILCOX. REMEMBERS JOHN MCCOMBS BUT AS HAVING BEEN SENT HOME AND NEVER SERVING IN 10 NYHA. LETTER SUBMITTED FROM MARSHALL VINCENT WHO REMEMBERS JOHN MCCOMBS VERY WELL. JUN. 20, 1923- Search certificate (attached to testimony of Ellice Duley) of Supreme & County court records reveals no divorce records for Augustus & Adaline Auberten. JUN. 22, 1923- Received by BOP from Special Examiner from Ogdensbury, NY his preliminary report. SEPT. 26, 1923- Affidavit of testimony of Marshall Vincent of South Dakota who remembers John McCombs. SEPT. 29, 1923- Formal report to BOP from Special Examiner regarding testimony of Marshall Vincent and John M. Wilcox. OCT. 12, 1923- Claim submitted to the Chief of the Board of Review for consideration. OCT. 17, 1923- Remarried Widows Pension approved under the Act of Sept. 8, 1916. Signed by M. Rice with the following comments: AS WE HAVE THE CLAIMANTS HUSBAND IDENTIFIED AS THE MAN WHO SERVED AS JOHN F. MCCOMBS IN CO. M, 10TH NYHA AND APPLIED FOR ADDITIONAL BOUNTY WHEN LIVING IN CALHOUN COUNTY, MICH IN DEC. 1866; AS THE RECORDS OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT SHOW THAT HE SERVED FROM AUG. 1862, TO JUN 1865, AND COMRADE MARSHALL VINCENT (WHO IS REPORTED TO BE OF GOOD REPUTATION AND "DEPENDABLE") SWEARS POSITIVELY THAT 'JOHN MCCOMBS WAS RIGHT THERE" AND "MUSTERED OUT" WITH ALL THE REST OF THE COMPANY, IT IS NOT BELIEVED NECESSARY TO INCUR THE EXPENSE OF RETURNING THE CASE TO THE FIELD TO HAVE THE STATEMENT OF JOHN M. WILCOX THAT JOHN MCCOMBS WOULD BE NO GOOD AND WAS SENT HOME STRAIGHT OUT. BUT IT IS THOUGHT THAT THIS MAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED BY THE SPECIAL EXAMINER WHEN HE WAS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, NY BEFORE MAKING THE INITIAL REPORT. M. RICE, REV. OCT. 1923- She was awarded $25 per month commencing Apr. 12, 1920 and $30 per month commencing May 1, 1920 OCT. 20, 1923- Awarded back pay of $1295 OCT. 31, 1923- Letters to Adaline Auberten and Lettie Young returning photograph and letter from John McCombs used in the case.. AUG. 18-, 1926- Letter from BOP to Adaline Auberten stating that she does not qualify for increase under the Act of July 3, 1926. JUN. 4, 1928- Payment increased to $40 per month under the Act of May 23, 1928 commencing July 30, 1928. APR. 11, 1929- Adaline Auberten died Jefferson County, NY. Additional Comments: This is a summary of Adaline McCombs (Comins/Auberten) civil war pension claim on her first husband John Fredrick McCombs. The packet is about 2 inches thick as her claim went on for over 30 years until she was finally awarded her claim.